Hurricanes winger Josh Moorby returns from France with three tries in first match back

Saturday, 21 February 2026

Hurricanes winger Josh Moorby announced his Super Rugby Pacific return with a hat-trick, finishing off his team-mate’s unselfish work in a 52-10 rout of Moana Pasifika at Sky Stadium on Friday night.

Moorby crossed three times inside 43 minutes in a man-of-the-match display, his first Super Rugby outing since a season in France with Montpellier.

“Jeez the boys played a great brand of rugby,” the 27-year-old said. “As wingers and outside backs, we get to reap the rewards. We’ll review and there’s things to improve, but we’re pretty happy with our first run out.”

Moorby had signed a two-year deal abroad but secured a mutual release after one season to return home.

While his comeback has flown under the radar compared to Jordie Barrett’s, coach Clark Laidlaw said the Hurricanes were delighted to have him back.

Moorby has represented the Māori All Blacks but has never played test rugby for New Zealand.

“We wanted him to stay and offered him a contract, but the Euros are tempting,” Laidlaw said. “We kept in touch. He didn’t burn bridges and neither did we – now we’re both reaping the reward.”

Moorby combined with fellow winger Fehi Fineanganofo for five of the Hurricanes’ eight tries as kicked off their campaign with a bonus-point win against Moana.

Fineanganofo could have claimed a hat-trick himself but handed Moorby his second after breaking clear in the 29th minute.

“I was screaming in his ear – he probably didn’t realise where he was,” Moorby laughed. “I’m pretty thankful for that. Fehi was was over the line so if I shelled it, it would have been a bad look.

“Next time I think he will be putting that one down.”

It was Moorby’s second Super Rugby hat-trick, after a three-try haul against the Fijian Drua in 2022 – the Hurricanes’ next opponents in Lautoka in round three.

He almost had a fourth midway through the second half, only for the television match official to spot a knock on after the Hurricanes had already taken the conversion.

Barrett was also making his first appearance for the Hurricanes in more than a year after taking a sabbatical in 2025.

The All Blacks vice-captain showed his class on his return and had a major hand in Moorby’s first try, throwing a wide ball for his winger to score with a spectacular dive in the right corner in the 17th minute.

“It was enjoyable,” Barrett said. “We trained really well during the week and it’s hard to simulate a game-like situation but the strength of the squad is we really test each other and compete in training.

“Our boys set us up well tonight.”

The win did come at a massive cost, however. First five-eighth Brett Cameron had to carried off the field midway through the first half after sustaining a serious knee injury.